Then the woman added softly:
“And because he wanted to protect you in his own way.”
— “By throwing us out on the street?!”
“Yes.”
The answer was harsh. But honest.
— “The farther you were from him… the safer you were.”
Tears welled up, in spite of herself.
Not just pain.
But confusion.
Of everything she didn’t understand yet.
“And you… in all this… Who are you?”
The woman looked her straight in the eye.
“I work for those to whom he owes money.”
The ground seemed to give way under his feet.
The children pressed herself even tighter.
— “But…” The woman continued, “I’m a mother too.”
A silence.
— “When I saw your file… when I saw your photos… I understood that you had nothing to do with his mistakes.”
She paused.
— “Then I proposed a deal.”
— “What agreement…?”— “Let him disappear. Let him cut off all contact. And leave you alone.”
The mother’s heart almost stopped.
— “Disappear…?”
“Yes.”
“And he accepted?”
“He had no choice.”
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Irreversible.
— “It is… alive?”
The question she didn’t dare to ask.
The woman hesitated for a second.
Then he answered:
“Yes. But you won’t see him again.”
Tears finally flowed.
Not screaming.
No screaming.
Just silent tears.
Those that come when reality is too big to be fought.
The children looked at her, lost.
She squeezed them tightly.
Very strong.
As if to anchor them in the present.
— “And now…?”
The woman gently pushed the file towards her.
— “Now… you start again.”
“How? With what?”
The woman made a slight gesture around her.
“With that.”
She didn’t understand at first.
“What…?”
— “The house.”
A silence.
“It is in your name.”
The shock.
Again.
“What?!”
“He transferred her before he left.”
She took a step back.
— “It’s impossible…”
“It’s done.”
She took out another document.
Official.
Signed.
Stamped.
— “He may not have given you everything… but he left you a base.”
The mother’s hands trembled.
Continued on next page
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